thewanderer

Evening all, A few images of the two Nenagh Branch morning services, which split in Nenagh with one going onwards to Ballybrophy and the second heading back to Limerick. Click http://smu.gs/2qOVXrO to view.

Morning folks, A few pictures from Tuesday have just been uploaded at http://smu.gs/2rmKrro - Belmond Grand Hibernian passing Portlaoise on its way from Heuston to Cork. - Limerick remodelling has begun with the closure of platforms 3 and 4 at the station. This is to allow the "kink" in platform 3 to be removed.

While in Bangor last Friday evening I stumbled upon the Bangor Model Railway show so I popped in for a look. Click http://smu.gs/2rgzesk to see all the images.

Evening all, A 100+ picture update this evening of my visit to Belfast and surrounding areas since last Thursday. Thursday 25th May 2017: After I arrived at Belfast, I went on an open top bus tour of the city. Friday 26th May 2017: Friday lunchtime was spent walking around Belfast City, also includes some photos from the Dargan Bridge. In the afternoon I went to Bangor and stumbled upon a model railway show (to be featured in a separate gallery which will be uploaded on Monday) and a miniature railway called the Pickie Puffer. Saturday 27th May 2017: A trip from Belfast to Portrush and out to Bushmills by bus. Later in the afternoon I photographed the Belmod Grand Hibernian passing Botanic. Sunday 28th May 2017: A morning jaunt to the Dargan Bridge to see the RPSI Gatwick carriage transfer which turned out to be cancelled. After getting the 1305 Belfast Central - Dublin Connolly, I travelled out to Howth on the 3rd and final RPSI "Howth 170th Special" of the day. These were operated to celebrate the 170th anniversary of the railway arriving at the current station on the 30th May 1847. Click http://smu.gs/2sbqFwq to view all the images.

I've just finished uploading all the images from my trip from Nenagh to Belfast today. Photos from: - Nenagh - Ballybrophy - Heuston - Connolly - Belfast Central. Click https:/smu.gs/2qTHNsI to view all the images.

Morning all, Limerick Station will be closing for three weeks from Monday 5th June for the resignalling of the station to take place. The Station and Check Cabins will both be closed with control transferred to the new "Limerick Electronic Control Point". The Station Cabin will be demolished and the kink in Platform 3 will be removed during the closure. On Tuesday I made a few detailed photos of the station layout prior to closure and alteration. Click http://smu.gs/2qailAj to view.

Evening all, Lunchtime at Shanderry outside Portarlington today was very productive with 077 on the Weedspray from Athenry to Heuston and 072 on the Ballina - North Wall IWT Liner. Also a small update to the end of Friday's journey with 22011 at Kildare close to midnight and Ballast Cleaner 781 at Cherryville Jct. Click http://smu.gs/2qIiXMa to view.

Been doing a bit of a ramble today. Some of it with the Branch Line Society who are over from the UK and some of it by myself to get some more "juicy" items. Photos from: -Thurles. - Mallow. - Killarney (to see a MKIV set). - Stagmount (to see a MKIV set). - Rathmore. - Limerick Jct (to see the Waterford to Limerick Weedspray train) - Heuston. - Busaras. - Connolly. - Portadown. Ciick http://smu.gs/2qGk2mj to view.

Evening folks, Photographs from this week include: Tuesday 16th May 2017: Pictures from Portlaoise, Ballybrophy and Limerick. Wednesday 17th May 2017: The 0630 Limerick - Ballybrophy service was delayed for 60 minutes between Quakers Road Level Crossing and Borris-in-Ossory due to a number of catttle on the line. The train encountered them at about the 4 1/4 milepost and eventually got going again at the 3 milepost. Thursday 18th May 2017: Images from Ballybrophy, Portlaoise area and Kildare. Includes the Belmond Grand Hibernian and 220 hauling a failed MKIV set from Cork to Inchicore. Click http://smu.gs/2q1jeXc to view.

Afternoon all, I ventured over to Cush in Co. Kildare this morning to photograph 078 hauling the Belmond Grand Hibernian from Connolly to Waterford. The Sunday and Monday trips to/from Waterford are now scheduled to be hauled by an 071 Class locomotive rather than the dedicated Belmond liveried 216 due to operational issues at Dundalk where the train is stabled at on Saturday night. This mornings outing also has images from the Barrow Bridge at Monastervin and Rosskelton in Co. Laois. Click http://smu.gs/2pLxOla to view.

Evening folks, All the images from the past week have now been uploaded to the May gallery at http://smu.gs/2pJA6S3 Featuring images from: - Portlaoise - Limerick - Limerick Jct. - Mallow - Killarney. - Thurles.

Evening folks, The final batch of images from my recent trip to London have finally been uploaded to http://smu.gs/2qdTEjr The majority of images from Sunday are of the District Line D78 stock farewell tour which covered all the branches of the District Line that the D78's visited, plus Northfields on the Piccadilly Line.

Evening all, The latest photos from my recent UK trip have now been uploaded to http://smu.gs/2qTKEma Highlights include visits to: - The Gospel Oak - Barking railway which is currently being electrified. - The former Northern City Line which is used by ECML London suburban trains in London to Moorgate. This line still retains Network South East signage. - Various London Underground photos.

Evening all, The first pictures from a weekend trip to London have now been uploaded covering Friday 5th May. Highlights include: - Pictures from the flight from DUB to LHR including seeing 071 on the Tara Mines train. - Retro liveried IC125 43002 at London Paddington. - Class 68's on the Chiltern mainline from London Marylebone. - Chiltern Bubble Car 121034 on the Princess Risborough - Aylesbury shuttle. Click http://smu.gs/2pVhJNn to view.

Evening folks, Wednesday 3rd May 2017: Another ramble today, this time heading to Tralee, Killarney and Cork. Locations include: - Portlaoise - Mallow - Tralee - Killarney (includes Railtours Ireland charter from Cobh to Killarney). - Cork. - Rathmore (to see the Belmond Grand Hibernian pass through). Plans to go down the Cobh line had to be abandoned due to a signal failure at Myrtlehill Level Crossing outside Cork at 1600. Then the Tralee line service was badly delayed due to another signal failure at Rathmore just as I arrived there on the 1725 Mallow - Tralee! Click http://smu.gs/2qtzRit to view.

Evening all, We start off the May gallery with: Bank Holiday Monday 1st May 2017: I tried a new location, when I visited the Canal Bridge in Limerick. This carries the Limerick to Athenry railway over the disused Park Canal. The final photo from the evening is a shot from Knockenpierce, outside Nenagh of the evening passenger to Ballybrophy. Tuesday 2nd May 2017: A ramble around the network today with a guest from the UK. Photos come from: - Thurles. - Ossory Road. - Busaras - The Point - East Wall Road (Retrotrain 071 on the Tara Mines). - Heuston - Hazelhatch - Sallins - Mallow Click http://smu.gs/2oUGs5q to view.

The final batch of images on Sunday 30th April have been uploaded and feature: - The Belmond Grand Hibernian leaving Gorey and arriving into Waterford some five hours later. - Images of the new Waterford to Dungarvan "Greenway" at Bilberry. - 1240 Waterford - Heuston passing Newrath Jct. - 1655 Limerick - Heuston Empty (off earlier private charter) crossing over UBL28 at Cross. Click http://smu.gs/2qqtYzG to view.

Morning folks, Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th April 2017: Photos from this weekend include images of the Belmond Grand Hibernian going down the Dublin & South Eastern Railway line as far as Gorey, where it stabled on Saturday night. The normal Saturday route to Belfast wasn't available due to engineering works. To start off the weekend I dropped into Rosskelton to see the ballast cleaning works ongoing. Click http://smu.gs/2qleiOj to view them all.

Your's truly suggested it to the right people in IE management.

Evening folks, Pictures from the middle of this week feature: Wednesday 26th April 2017: A evening stroll to Nenagh Town centre coincided with the evening passenger train arriving at the station. Thursday 27th April 2017: Friday morning was interesting at Portlaoise with the 0825 Charleville - Galway Belmond GH Spl. and a Limerick to Inchicore Wagon transfer passing the town. On Thursday evening I took a ramble from Portlaoise to Nenagh via Limerick Jct. and Ballybrophy. Friday 28th April 2017: Friday morning images from Nenagh and Ballybrophy. Click http://smu.gs/2pq7TRP to view them all.

Evening all, The Belmond Grand Hibernian started its 2017 season today with a trip from Heuston to Cork, Thurles and Charleville. Also other pictures from today feature Nenagh, Ballybrophy and Clonkeen. Click http://smu.gs/2q3GKXo to view.

Evening all, Pictures from Athlone (last week) and Limerick (today) have just been uploaded to the April gallery. Click http://smu.gs/2ptrNhl to view. Also if anybody is interested in river cruising then take a look at http://smu.gs/2paQw77

I do agree that the road bridge is very railway looking! But the railway terminated on the east side of the river bank.

Last week I traced the formation of the closed railway line from Roscrea to Birr and Portumna. Despite having closed 54 & 139 years respectively, large traces of the railway formation remain visible. Click the picture below to see all the images.

Evening all, A few pictures from the past week both featuring MKIV Set 4005 being hauled to Inchicore after failing in Mallow and Cork respectively. Click http://smu.gs/2pjdg4N to view.